The Stacks project

Proof. According to Topology, Lemma 5.19.7 if $f$ is closed then specializations lift along $f$. Conversely, suppose that specializations lift along $f$. Let $Z \subset X$ be a closed subset. We may think of $Z$ as a scheme with the reduced induced scheme structure, see Definition 26.12.5. Since $Z \subset X$ is closed the restriction of $f$ to $Z$ is still quasi-compact. Moreover specializations lift along $Z \to S$ as well, see Topology, Lemma 5.19.5. Hence it suffices to prove $f(X)$ is closed if specializations lift along $f$. In particular $f(X)$ is stable under specializations, see Topology, Lemma 5.19.6. Thus $f(X)$ is closed by Lemma 26.19.7. $\square$